A stopper is commonly used to close the opening in a bottle. Typically, the stopper is made of natural cork or a synthetic material having the desirable qualities of natural cork. Each type of stopper (referred to herein simply as a “cork” regardless of the material from which it is formed) is elastically compressible and generally does not absorb water. The cork conforms to the interior shape of the bottle opening and forms an airtight and watertight seal. A common example is the cork used to close the opening in a wine bottle. When the wine bottle is properly cellared, the cork prevents air from entering the bottle through the opening and prevents the wine from escaping through the opening.
There are numerous devices available to remove the cork from the opening in the bottle. A common device for uncorking a bottle is referred to as a corkscrew. The typical corkscrew includes helically wound wire with a handle connected at one end and a pointed tip at an opposite end. The helically wound wire is threaded into the cork by rotating the handle. The bottle is uncorked by grasping the handle and pulling the corkscrew away from the bottle opening. Since the helically wound wire is threaded into the cork, moving the corkscrew away from the bottle pulls the cork out of the opening.
The type of corkscrew described above functions well to uncork a bottle. Some users, however, may lack the manual dexterity or physical strength necessary to pull the cork out of the opening. Additionally, other users, such as those in the restaurant or catering industry, open many bottles of wine in a single service. These commercial users may determine that the type of corkscrew described above is simply too slow to efficiency serve each patron.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a corkscrew assembly that uncorks a bottle easily and quickly.